


An Almost Perfect Day

by Banshee1013



Series: Suptober 2019 Ficlets [9]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel Saves Sam Winchester, Djinni & Genies, Dreams and Nightmares, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 14:06:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21209792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Banshee1013/pseuds/Banshee1013
Summary: Ficlet to accompany art for Suptober 2019.Days 26/27 - Wish/Villains.





	An Almost Perfect Day

**Author's Note:**

> Art can be found [here.](https://banshee1013.tumblr.com/post/188647747577/suptober-day-2627-wishvillains)

Sam blinked in the hazy light of the bedroom, uncertain of his surroundings.  
Startled by movement next to him in the bed, he reached under his pillow for a gun that wasn't there.

A sleepy voice drifted over from the other side of the bed.

"Babe, can you turn that thing off? We don't have to be at Dean's for a while yet… you must have forgotten to turn it off last night…"

Jess.

He became aware of what she was talking about - the buzzing bleat of the alarm clock. Reached over and slapped at it until it stopped.

Cautiously, slowly, he rolled over to face the direction of Jess' voice.  
And stared directly into her green eyes, narrowed with concern.

"Everything ok? What were you looking for…" she asked, reaching to touch his face and pulling back sharply as he flinched, which only increased her concern. "Sam? What's wrong?"

Sam shook his head to clear it, wiping a hand down his face and blinking. What was it?  
A dream? Yeah, must have been a dream…

He turned back to Jess, grabbing her hand and pressing it to his lips. "Nothing, babe. Just… a dream, I guess… it's over now." But still clutched her hand, reluctant to let it go and not sure why…

Jess gave him another searching look and gently pulled her hand free.

"OK, well… I'm awake now so I'm going to grab a shower. Can you get some coffee going?" She sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, and stretched before standing and striding to the bathroom.

Pausing in the doorway, she looked back over her shoulder at him, a flare of heat in her eyes. "Maybe join me after you get the coffee on, whadaya say?" she purred before heading inside the bathroom.

Sam, fully conscious now, scrambled out of bed and all but ran to the kitchen to start the coffee as he hears the shower start.

====================================

The unease and disorientation returned suddenly, even as he stood in the shower behind Jess, a soapy loofa in his hand, arm around her bare wet waist and lips pressed to the back of her neck.

Suddenly, he was in a dark, abandoned place, his vision foggy, his head lolling as he tried to look around. He felt his hands tied high above his head, his feet barely touching the floor.

Luminous blue eyes bored into him and a hand covered in glowing, swirling tattoos reached toward him, grasping his chin. He felt the tattoos burn into his skin and…

His back was pressed against the cold tiles of the shower wall, hands grasping for purchase on them.

"SAM!" Jess cried, her hands on his face and he was back, back in the shower. He took a shaky breath and pulled her close, the warm water beating down on them both.

"Sam, what happened? What's wrong?" she sobbed against his chest.

He stroked her hair, stilling her sobs. "It's ok… just… I just felt like I was someplace else for a minute…" He pulled her up to look into her face, gave her a kiss, wiped the tears from her eyes. "It's ok, I'm fine now. I'm so sorry…".

She gave him a worried, uncertain smile. "Are you sure? Is there anything I can do?"

He met her smile, and reached over her to turn off the water. "I'm sure. C'mon, we have to get out of here before we turn into prunes."

=======================================

Jess pulled up to the curb in front of Lisa and Dean's house… and Sam realized he had no recollection of how they got there. Shaking his head again, he opened the car door and climbed out.

I gotta get more sleep, he thought. I must have dozed off in the car. Meeting Jess by the trunk, he grabbed the grocery bags there and made his way up the path to the house.

He didn't even have the time to reach the front porch before the door swings wide, and Lisa was there, grabbing the bags and ushering them inside.

"Dean's round back, grilling up the burgers," she said, pulling a six-pack from one of the grocery bags and handing it to Sam before giving him a gentle shove in the direction of the back yard. "Here, take these to him, will you? I'm sure he's thirsty by now…," then grabbed Jess' arm, pulling her toward the counter where Lisa's making… something. "Jess, can you help me with this?"

Sam headed out to the back yard as ordered with the six-pack, and found Dean as expected by the grill. The aroma of his famous burgers permeated the yard and made Sam's mouth water.

"Heya, Dean…," Sam said as he approached, and set the six-pack on the shelf next to the grill. "Lisa said you might want one of these…" pulling one out of the carton and opening it before holding it out to his brother.

"Hell yeah! Thanks, Sammy!" Dean exclaimed, taking the proffered bottle. Tipping it back for a long pull, he lowered the bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Grillin's thirsty work, you know!"

Sam chuckled as he pulled another bottle from the carton for himself, opened it and took a hefty drink, glancing around at the family members gathered for… wait, why were they here again? The feeling of unease began to wash over him again, and then he saw her - Mom.

Oh, right. Mom's birthday. Of course. The unease dissipated.

And there was Bobby and Ellen standing next to her, talking, while Jo and Ash played cornhole nearby, and Garth and Bess watched while Ben entertained their little one on the blanket spread in front of them.

Benny approached from the house carrying a plate of cheese and bacon and a bag of buns, headed for the grill, and he and Dean discussed the finer techniques of grilling the perfect burger.

It was all very idyllic, the perfect family gathering… but Sam couldn't shake the feeling that something… someone… was missing.

And just as suddenly, he was back in the dark room. It was cold, and his hands were numb. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bag full of red liquid and wondered if it was blood.

Wondered if it was his.

Again out of the gloom, the piercing, glowing blue eyes filled his vision, the hand glowing with blue flame engulfed his face, and then he's back in Dean's back yard, laying on the grass. Dean, Jess, and Lisa stood over him, Bobby crouched by his head.

"Hey, boy, are you ok?" Bobby asked as he helped Sam sit up.

Sam glanced around at the concerned faces surrounding him. "Wha… what happened?"

"Dunno, you just keeled right over…" Bobby said, as Dean offered his hand to help pull him from the ground. Sam took it and stood up, recovering his beer in the process.

"Oh no you don't," Jess said, taking the bottle from him. "I think you've had enough for a while!"

"Geeze, when did you become such a lightweight?" Dean mocked, dusting the grass off Sam's back. Sam shrugged, and let Jess guide him to a chair.

Mary approached with a glass of tea, handed it to him and brushed the hair away from his forehead before placing the back of her hand against it. "Are you feeling alright, Sam? You look very pale…"

Sam took a long drink from the glass of ice tea and tried to get his bearings. "Mom, I'm... I dunno, I've been feeling out of sorts all day… like, I'm in a… a waking dream or something."

Mary bent over and kissed him lightly on the forehead. "You're not getting enough sleep, that firm is running you ragged," she grumbled. "You and Jess need to take a nice, long vacation… go somewhere nice, away from the rat race. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Sam listened to her but the words seemed to be flowing past him, uncomprehended.

He looked around again, at the people gathered here. Something was wrong…

Someone was missing.

Wait. Cas… Where was Cas??

"Mom… Mom, where's Cas?" he interrupted, a feeling of desperation growing, the unease overcoming him again. "Mom…"

Mary looked confused. "Cas? Who's Cas? I'm sorry, sweetie, I don't know who that is…"

Sam met her eyes, dumbstruck. "You know, Cas… Castiel! The angel…"

Mary's face drew tight in concern, and her gaze shifted away from him, glancing around until she saw Jess. "Jess! Jess, bring me some water for Sam, he's really not feeling well…"

Sam stands abruptly, pushing her gently aside and scanning the faces beginning to gather around him. He turned back to Mary and grabbed her shoulders. "MOM! I feel fine, I just want to know where Cas is!" he cried.

His eyes fell on his brother… "Dean! Dean, c'mon you know… where's Cas? Bobby… Ellen…," His voice faded at the looks of incomprehension around him.

Then Jess was in front of him, her hands placed on either side of his face. "Stop it, Sam! Stop!" she growled, and her eyes… were they blue? Her hands were burning his face… and he began to scream.

=======================================

"Sam! Sam, wake up!"

A voice, deep and gravelly, and large warm hands gently patted his face.

His vision cleared and the eyes that met his were blue, but the blue of the ocean and warm as the sun.

Cas pulled a knife from his pocket, reached above him to cut the rope around his wrists, and caught Sam effortlessly as he slumped, lowering him gently to the ground.

"Cas… Cas, are you really here?" Sam whispered, barely able to get the words past his lips.

"Yes, Sam, it's me. You were captured by a djinn, trapped in a dream." He gestured to the still body of the djinn, unmoving on the floor.

Sam grinned wanly. "I kn… I knew it." He reached weakly up to grab Cas's shoulder, then slid up to pat his cheek before dropping his hand in exhaustion.

"You knew… what, Sam? That it was a dream?" Cas asked, puzzled. "How? What was the djinn making you see?"

"I was with Jess, at… at a family party. Mom's birthday…," he paused, and Cas held a canteen of water to his lips, which Sam gulped thirstily.

"Everyone was there," he continued, then met Cas' gaze. "Everyone… except you."

Cas ducked his head and Sam smiled, reaching to tilt Cas' chin up, meeting his gaze.

"Dead giveaway. I knew we would never have a family gathering without YOU."


End file.
